By JOSEPH WEISS , DANIELLE WEISS Each of us has held beliefs—obtained through observation, experience or even formal education—that were later found to be wrong. In fact, medical schooling begins with a warning: “Half of all that you will be taught…
By LAURA QUAGLIO , ANDREA LEONARD , ANNA SCHWARTZ Cancer is serious business. It is second only to heart disease as Americans’ leading cause of death, and more than 1.7 million new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed this…
By Alexandra Williams After 15 days of supplementation with a combination of peanut husk extract (luteolin) and mango leaf extract (mangiferin), a group of healthy male university students from Spain showed improvements in exercise performance, including increases in brain oxygenation…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS What muscle fiber types will take an athlete from good to great? Looking to build endurance? What about power? Do dreams of being an all-star hitter or marathon runner need to be…
By DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA Cyclist can be prone to ITB Syndrome IT BAND SYNDROME: SYMPTOMS, RISK FACTORS, EXERCISES The warm summer weather is the perfect setting for people to get outdoors and participate in the activities they enjoy…
By Scott Keppel With the holidays here, time is of the essence. Both figuratively and literally. As a husband, father of 3 and business owner I get that finding time to get workouts in can be a challenge. The following…
BY JENNIFER KLAU, PHD Being a little low on water is a bigger deal than most people think. Here’s research to prove it, plus a physiology review to explain why even a 2% deficit can affect mental and physical well-being…
By Brad Dieter IS SUGAR REALLY BAD FOR YOU? Sugar has been in the headlines of popular media sites, the tagline of diet books, and the sole focus of many blogs over the last decade. Despite recent interest from mainstream…
Before you help your clients achieve their goals, you have to establish what their starting point is. NASM’s Optimum Performance Training Model – or OPT™ -does exactly that. The OPT™ model. It’s one of the fitness industry’s first training systems…
By Julia Malacoff and Jennifer Nickle From ruining your progress to making you feel like a failure, food cravings aren’t your friend (no matter what they say). In this article, we break down the real reasons you can’t stop over-snacking,…
By John Berardi, Ph.D. Work stressing you out? Life in general? Having trouble staying consistent with your exercise and nutrition plan? If so, this article is for you. Why do most guys tend to get weaker, fatter, and less healthy…
By Geoff Lecovin KETOGENIC DIET: SHOULD YOU JOIN THE KETO KRAZE? In this article you will learn: What constitutes a ketogenic diet? Ketogenic diet foods/sample meal plan Potential health benefits of the ketogenic diet Potential adverse health effects of the…
By Alex Picot-Annand Effective ways to deal with negative peer pressure and sabotage. Changing your eating and exercise habits is hard enough. Getting loved ones to support your healthy lifestyle changes? Prepare to grit your teeth. The company you keep…
By Krista Scott-Dixon, Ph.D. How to solve the two biggest health and fitness problems most women face. Feeling overworked and under-appreciated? Having trouble staying consistent with nutrition and fitness because of life’s demands? Wondering if you’ll ever be able to…
By Krista Scott-Dixon, Ph.D. It’s not about busting your butt to get a gym body. It’s about being capable, confident, and free. To most people, healthy movement = exercise. As in cardio, crunches, and fitness models. But moving your body is…
By Krista Scott-Dixon, Ph.D. Diet challenges are usually all about what you can’t eat. But what if you could see huge results from a self-experiment that doesn’t make any foods off-limits? Instead of focusing on what you eat, our 30-day…
By NASM Discomfort from too much sitting? Inactive glutes? Buttock and leg pain? Though small in size, the piriformis could have a big impact on keeping the human movement system moving smoothly. Addressing an overactive piriformis may be part of…
By BRIAN SUTTON, MA, MS, CSCS, NASM-CPT, CNC, CES, PES THE MOST SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE ARM EXERCISES Are you looking for stronger, more defined arms — the type of arms you can show off? If toned and sculpted arms are…
By Andrew Payne Do you have trouble losing body fat, yet seem to gain it after even the smallest slip up with your diet? Or does it feel like you can eat for days without gaining an ounce? It could…
By NASM May is National Military Appreciation Month. We asked our NASM-CPTs who served in the armed forces to tell us their stories. Here’s one of them. Arlo Doyle The Kilted Comeback Kid In April of 2001, Arlo Doyle joined…
By Danny Lennon In this article: What is the Mediterranean Diet? Mediterranean Diet Foods Mediterranean Diet Nutrient Profile Daily Food Servings Mediterranean Lifestyle Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet Mediterranean Diet and Weight Loss Take-Home Points Should You Adopt the…
BY OLIVIA ELLIS, MS Follow these steps to enhance the class experience using the power of emotion. We’ve all been there: You’re teaching a well-designed class with a killer playlist, and your expectation is that everyone is going to be…
BY CANDICE DYER The SoheeFit studio in San Diego is a gleaming, modern and welcoming fitness center with upbeat music. One thing is noticeably missing, though. There is no cardio equipment. That’s because owner Sohee Lee, MS, typically ends up…
9 reasons eating well isn’t as straightforward as we’d like it to be. By John Berardi, Ph.D. From a certain perspective, nutrition science can seem like a mess. From another, it illustrates the very nature (and beauty) of the scientific…
By James Heathers, Ph.D. Forget heart attacks and skinny jeans. This is why weight loss is important. Avoiding heart disease and looking ‘fab’ aren’t always great reasons to lose weight. However, here are 5 immediate and significant ways your life…
By Geoff Lecovin Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” was identified in the 17th century by Dr. Daniel Whistler and Professor Francis Glisson when they discovered the causative factors of rickets. Circa 1920, Sir Edward Mellanby worked with…
By Amanda Boyer MS, RDN, CD, NASM-CPT First and foremost, the pursuit of health is an individual choice and will look very different from person to person. Second, nutrition and movement are just two tiny pieces to the big pie…
By CHRIS ECKLUND, MA, NASM-PES, CSCS, USAW, TPI “Train slow, move slow; train fast, move fast.” I still say this to my athletes, staff and students with great frequency. Sometimes we get so caught up in the current trends, metrics,…
By NASM With fad diets flooding the marketplace, obesity and heart disease numbers rapidly increasing, and more confusing food choices than ever before, Nutrition Coaches are in particularly high demand. This is an exciting, rewarding career for people who love…
BY NASM Designed to help fitness professionals discover solutions for their clients’ health and dietary needs. Obesity, heart disease, and cancer are on the rise. Fad diets are muddying today’s culture with misconceptions and fallacies. And the marketplace is filled…
By NASM Desk-bound employees can develop a hunched posture that saps energy and strength. Here’s a safe-for-the-office routine that can help. For many people, nine-hour workdays are the minimum—and lunch breaks are short or taken at the desk. Even if…
Why wishful thinking won’t get you results, but science might. By Dan Garner Nutrition is often seen as a belief system. In other words, the answer to “What should I eat?” is often based on faith, magical thinking, emotional attachments,…
By John Berardi, Ph.D. When it comes to body change, there’s no topic more polarizing than “calories in vs. calories out.” Some argue it’s the be-all and end-all of weight loss. Others say it’s oversimplified and misguided. In this article,…
By Kyle Stull What is thoracic outlet syndrome? Are there assessments that personal trainers can consider to identify it, and can corrective exercise programming help? Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a condition involving the vessels of the neck, shoulder, and…
By KEN MILLER, MS, NASM MASTER INSTRUCTOR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, GFS “You need good form,” or “technique is everything” are just a couple of the staple statements you hear fitness professionals and strength coaches say. This is what personal trainers…
How to solve the two biggest health and fitness problems most women face. By Krista Scott-Dixon Feeling overworked and under-appreciated? Having trouble staying consistent with nutrition and fitness because of life’s demands? Wondering if you’ll ever be able to find…
![Sweet potatoes vs. potatoes: Which are really healthier? [Infographic] :](https://opstudiohk.inetasiapreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/image.png)
Let’s get to the bottom of this never-ending debate. By Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS Sweet potatoes vs. potatoes: A nutritional debate fueled by misinformation, baseless ‘superfood’ obsessions, and carbohydrate phobias. Here’s how these tubers compare — and why…
By Fabio Comana We all speak of it and experience it, but what is stress? It is defined as a non-specific response by the body to any demand (stressor) that overcomes, or threatens to overcome, the body’s ability to maintain…
By Geoff Lecovin Whether you’ve just finished a HIIT workout, completed a CrossFit WOD, hit your PR or finished a triathlon, your focus should move from performance to recovery. This involves: Refueling Repairing Rehydrating Revitalizing Evidence-based strategies to enhance the…
B Kyle Stull Personal trainers will likely encounter a client with hip impingement as a training concern. Improve your client’s hip mobility with these stretching and strengthening techniques, plus cueing advice for pelvic positioning. Hip discomfort or pain is common…
By DEWAYNE SMITH, MS, NASM-CES, PES, FNS Let’s face it, at one point or another, we’ve all had to sit for extended periods of time, looking at, or working on something in front of us. Whether it was in high school…
By AMANDA BOYER, MS, RDN, CD, NASM-CPT Health is so much more than how much a person weighs or their BMI. To further understand this approach to health, Health At Every Size® (HAES®), written by Linda Bacon, explores this growing…
by Dr. David Tiberio Kerrigan DC, Todd MK, Della Croce U, Lipsitz LA, Collins JJ. Biomechanical gait alterations independent of speed in healthy elderly: evidence for specific limiting impairments. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 199879:317-322. The purpose of this study was…
BY LANCE C. DALLECK A myth can be defined as an untrue explanation for a natural phenomenon. Unfortunately, numerous myths remain pervasive and well-engrained throughout the fitness industry, in particular as it pertains to various performance and nutritional supplements. In…
Here are better ways to transform your diet. By Brian St. Pierre, RD, CSCS, CISSN Lots of people looking to improve their eating think meal plans are the answer. The only problem? Meal plans usually suck… and they rarely last…
By Emily Bailey Meet three of today’s superfood darlings: açai berries, beetroot juice, and curcumin. What does the research say regarding their impact on athletic performance, recovery, and overall health? Here’s the delicious news. “Superfood” has been a buzzword for…
By Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, Dr. Helen Kollias, Jennifer Broxterman, MSc, RD, and Pamela Ruhland Hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, brain fog: Menopause can make you wonder if your body is totally cuckoo. But what many women don’t realize is…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Are you motivated by someone telling you what to do or are you more motivated to do something when it is your own idea and choice to do it? You probably agreed…
By Kyle Stull Hamstrings are arguably one of the most talked about muscle groups, as well as the most researched, stretched, and injured. While there is a wealth of information about hamstring injury prevention and treatment, hamstring injuries are still widespread and increasing…
By KEN MILLER, MS, NASM MASTER INSTRUCTOR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, GFS You have to be able to start, stop and control the motion – that’s why deceleration training is a vital component of fitness programming. Creating a performance-based conditioning program…
By NASM The terrain has changed; leaves have fallen, the weather is colder and for many, snow is covering the ground indicating that winter is really here. For those who enjoy exercising outdoors, your activities may have become somewhat limited…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Exercising in the cold can bring about many unique challenges. Besides overcoming the discomfort of being cold, what are the best strategies to stay safe and prevent some of the potentially life-threatening, or…
By Alex Picot-Annand and Jennifer Nickle Organic produce, artisanal sourdough, strictly grass-fed meat: Yes, they’re ‘good’ for you… but they’re also too expensive for most people. The great news? There are foods that are both nutrient-rich and budget-friendly. In this infographic,…
By BRIERLEY HORTON, MS, RD Despite the overall trend toward cleaner eating (little to no processed foods, limiting or eliminating “bad” foods like sodium and sugar, etc.), as well as our general desire for quality ingredients (such as organic, humanely-raised, etc.),…
By KANDI STULL Advertisers market their products to fight that 2:30 crash. Coffee chains promote their afternoon caffeinated happy hours to help get you through the day. Some cultures even have an after-lunch siesta to combat fatigue. What if there…
By Jennifer Broxterman, MSc, RD Forgetting things, feeling incapable, grappling with loneliness, and maybe not enjoying daily life? Aging is inevitable, but these symptoms don’t have to be. Whether you’re noticing them in yourself, or coaching someone who is, here’s…
By KEN MILLER, MS, NASM MASTER INSTRUCTOR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, GFS For as many ways as there are to challenge the body in a workout, how many ways do we think about approaching our warm-up routine? How well prepared are our…
By Mike Bracko The media and some research scientists seem to take perverse pride in talking about the so-called “obesity epidemic” and the percentage of the population who are over-weight, obese, and physically inactive. However, there are researchers who indicate…
By Mike Bracko Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness (National Institute of General Medical Sciences, 2018). They regulate periods of sleepiness and wakefulness through day/night. Circadian rhythm…
By Brierley Horton, MS, RD People choose to “go vegan” for a variety of reasons—perhaps they aspire to be Tom Brady (or at his level of fitness), or land on veganism for ethical concerns around eating animal products, or the…
By Geoff Lecovin Are you looking for that competitive edge? You might consider ways of stimulating your nervous system. The central governor model is based on the premise that the nervous system strives to maintain homeostasis to minimize mental and…
By AMANDA BOYER, MS, RDN, CD, NASM-CPT You may have heard the phrase “intuitive eating” thrown around in the health and fitness realm as it’s gaining attention and a bit of popularity. As a non-diet dietitian, I couldn’t be happier that…
By Wayne David Clark As fitness professionals we sometimes tend to neglect our own bodies in favour of helping others achieve their goals. We become so focussed on the needs of others, that our own needs tend to be…
By MARTY MILLER, ATC, DHSC, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, MASTER INSTRUCTOR Human movement is an amazing orchestra of muscle contractions controlled by the central nervous system to create joint actions to accomplish specific tasks. The motor tasks can be as simple…
RICK RICHEY, MS. When I was young and thought about flexibility, it would conjure up images in my mind of Jean-Claude Van Damme doing center splits between two chairs. I was obsessed with that, so I practiced that version of…
By GEOFF LECOVIN Moderately elevating a client’s heart rate during physical activity is a goal of most exercise programs, but what about when a client has AFib? Here’s some information on what you should know. WHAT IS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION…
By Ellen Vora, M.D.Holistic Psychiatrist As a holistic psychiatrist practicing in busy New York City, there are two traits nearly all of my patients have in common: anxiety and caffeine consumption. And for the record, in general, I think that…
By: Brian Sutton, MS, MA, PES, CES, NASM CPT Introduction Over the last 10-plus years, there probably has not been a supplement more popular or one researched more often than creatine monohydrate. Creatine has found its place among bodybuilders, fitness…
Is it really worth the trade-off? By Ryan Andrews & Brian St. Pierre Six-pack abs. Tight butts. Lean, vibrant, flawless health. That’s the image the fitness industry is selling. But have you ever wondered what it costs to achieve that…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) stretching technique that has been embraced throughout the fitness industry. This effective and simple to do technique delivers positive, feel-good results. Foam rollers have become…
By Ken Miller MS, NASM MASTER INSTRUCTOR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, GFS It’s time to take a turn for the better with rotational training plans. These 3 steps will show you how to apply this directional change with all of your clients…
BY KYLE STULL Odds are high that you’ll have a training client with an artificial hip at some point in your career. Having a client with hip replacements may seem like a daunting prospect, but in most cases the new…
By Brian St. Pierre How brain signaling drives what you eat. (And what to do about it). It’s no secret that obesity rates have been rising in the U.S. (and other industrialized nations) for the past 30 years. It’s also no…
By James Heathers and Jennifer Nickle SHARE What can you do when you have serious health and fitness goals…but you just don’t like vegetables? First, know that you’re not crazy (and you’re not alone). Next, try our 3-step formula to…
By Frank Lipman, M.D.Pioneer in Functional Medicine Are you interested in optimizing your health? Are you overwhelmed by the amount of information and guidance out there? In his new book, How to Be Well, Dr. Frank Lipman organizes your health into six…
By Lindsay Kellnermbg Sr. Wellness & Beauty Editor It’s officially August and high time for soaking up the best of what summer has to offer, including vacation, beach trips, and lazy summer days. The last thing many of us want…
By JEROD LANGNESS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, WLS, MASTER TRAINER As fitness professionals, it is easy to keep our focus on the great things that occur from having a healthy and active lifestyle. We know so much about the benefits of…
By Kyle Stull Everyone is quick to talk about “tightness.” The calves are tight; the hip flexors are tight; the low-back is tight; the shoulders and the neck are tight. It’s true that many people are tight and restricted, but…
by Dr. David Tiberio, Doug Gray Category: Applied Functional Science Share The popular song entitled “Dem Bones” is ageless. Furthermore, it is brilliant. James Weldon Johnson first composed it back in the early 1900s. Instead of quoting all the lyrics…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Keeping our brains healthy is a trending topic that is surely grabbing our attention and the attention of our family, friends and clients. We’re all looking for ways to maintain our brain…
BY Andrew Mills For many of us, working with individuals with tight/overactive hip flexors is a common occurrence. Learning to properly assess and address overactive hip flexors is a powerful skill in helping today’s client move more efficiently. Spending long…
By Liz Moody Summer is officially here! And here at mbg we’re all about traveling light and creating space for real transformation. Whether you’re jetting off to faraway lands this year or just exploring new pockets of your neighborhood, these next few…
By Jennifer Broxterman, MSc, RD You know the feeling: One salty crunch turns into 100, and suddenly you’re licking the cheese dust and wondering: What’s wrong with me? Actually, it’s normal to feel like you can’t stop overeating certain things…
By NASM Turmeric continues to make some impressive health headlines. Best known as the spice behind curry, research is showing how it can potentially play a role in weight loss, along with preventing Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and other conditions. Introduction…
By GEOFF LECOVIN Ever wonder if soy is healthy? Read on to find out more plus a peek into the foods and products it’s in. WHAT IS SOY? Soybeans are a type of legume native to East Asia. They are…
By Ryan Andrews & Brian St. Pierre Exploring the pros and cons of this controversial food group. We’re often asked whether dairy is good or bad. Short answer: It depends. In this article, we’ll help you make sense of the…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Age is more than a number- it’s an opportunity to serve a growing population. Every day we are bombarded with statistics on seniors and baby boomers, and the customer potential they can…
By Lisa For our bodies to function to their full capacity and to maintain a healthy weight, it is important to eat a nutritious and balanced diet that includes all the food groups in the right proportion. So, questions such…
By KATHY ZETTERBERG Static stretching is a highly debated and controversial topic within the fitness and sports performance communities and is focused around the concept that sustained static stretching could impair subsequent performance (Rossi et al. 2010; Shrier 2004; Behm…
By TATUM REBELLE Maintaining a strong pelvic floor is vital during pregnancy, yet it remains a commonly overlooked and misunderstood component of most pre- and postnatal training programs. (It’s also something many of us shy away from talking about.) A strong…